evening dress

Jeanne Lanvin, Designer (French, 1867-1946)

Jeanne Lanvin, who began her career as a milliner, presided over her own empire for 50 years. Lanvin worked by giving oral instructions to a team of artists, who would sketch her ideas and return the drawings to her for editing.

Two large sections of embroidered purple silk net decorate the midriff and the bottom of the dress. A Lanvin signature, the silk net was embroidered to resemble lace. These sections were further decorated in patterns that closely resemble the designs found on 18th- and 19th-century Chinese imperial court robes.